Godzilla Minus One: “This is What a Godzilla Movie Should be,” Says Hollywood Godzilla Director

For many Western cinema-holics, there’s one name standing tall as the grand attraction of December: Napoleon. Directed by Ridley Scott, the historical epic following the rise of the infamous French Emperor looks to be a grand example of moviemaking in every regard.

So, perhaps it’s odd that, to finish off 2023, it’s also recommended that you go to see a great big CGI reptile terrorise Japan. Yet, Godzilla Minus One – the sequel to 2016’s Shin Godzilla – should be up there as one of the best films of the year, perhaps even close to the same level as Napoleon.

Of course, the kaiju is a pop-culture icon, having featured in 36 films since the mid-50s, so a Godzilla movie always has appeal at the global box office. Now, though, on an objective level of filmmaking quality, Godzilla Minus One looks to be one of the best ever created.

Godzilla Minus One is getting a lot of praise

The latest in a very long line of Godzilla productions from Japanese studio Toho, but only second in the Reiwa era of the franchise, expectations were high in Japan but relatively muted beyond for Godzilla Minus One. Shin Godzilla became the highest-grossing Godzilla film from Japan, won seven Japan Academy Prizes, and hit $78 million worldwide, but it did receive more tepid reviews from Western critics, getting a 67 score on Metacritic.

With only a handful of critic reviews before its cinematic release, Godzilla Minus One got scores in the 90s and 80s, with it being praised for the angle of the story, the quality of the characters, the exciting kaiju scenes, and its throwback nature. Some of the highest praise has come from Gareth Edwards. The director of Hollywood’s 2014 reboot of Godzilla saw the new movie and said, “This is what a Godzilla movie should be,” per Business Insider.

Throw in how good the trailers look as well as the better user score on Metacritic to the critic score, and Godzilla Minus One has the depiction of a top-class film despite giant monster flicks often being looked down upon in Western markets.

It’s impossible to resist the might of Godzilla

Godzilla and other kaiju movies get a bad rap among Western audiences, and especially among critics. Yet, we can’t resist piling into theatres or streaming the epic monster clashes. The official trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong above, for example, amassed 105 million views on YouTube.

Being the fourth instalment of the series, people knew what to expect, and yet, in North America, it still made over $100 million. However, that marked a huge downturn from the $200 million of the 2014 Godzilla – the most successful at the worldwide box office to date at $529 million. Godzilla’s influence goes far, far beyond the big screen, too.

Across the media space, Godzilla is often referenced or is the main feature of a creation. It’s essentially the brand of kaiju, just as Jurassic Park has made itself the brand of dinosaurs. It’s why you can go to the top platforms at BonusFinder Canada, grab a bonus from a 5/5 site, and spin the reels of Zillard King. The slot certainly doesn’t hide its inspirations, but games like this and licensed movie slots have helped the site become so well-reviewed.

Still, when it comes to Western creations, while the movies make a lot at the box office, and Zillard King has certainly won over slot gamers, most media from beyond Japan is lacklustre at best. Sure, it’s entertaining to see one big CGI monster throw another into a building, but it’ll always be the character stories that immortalise movies. The latest Hollywood flicks greatly lacked this aspect, but Godzilla Minus One seems to have hit the nail on the head.

The latest, and perhaps even the greatest, instalment of the Godzilla story is set to start its North American run on 1 December, with other regions to follow.